Film / The Poker House

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The Poker House is a 2008 independent drama film, based on the true story of writer/director Lori Petty's childhood. Agnes, played by Jennifer Lawrence, is a 14-year-old high school student. She gets straight A's, works two jobs and is a star basketball player. Her mother, Sarah, played by Selma Blair, is a prostitute who brings home different men every night and is regularly beaten by her pimp. Also in the family are two other girls, 12-year-old Bee and 8-year-old Cammie (Chloe Grace Moretz).

After last seeing Agnes being abused a few scenes earlier, she goes to the newspaper where she works and jokes around with everyone there. Cut to Bee hiding in her room, barricading the door and practicing her saxophone.

Agnes goes home after her errands and scares Bee by climbing in the window and having a relatively lighthearted conversation. Cut to the party where Agnes is raped. It gets worse from there, until she goes to the basketball game and the tone shifts back to hopeful and excited when she thinks of all the people who love her. Back to depressing when she breaks down in the car following the game, then back to upbeat, singing in the car with her sisters. Mood Whiplash indeed.

Stockholm Syndrome: The mother has a case of this with the pimp. Agnes herself with the pimp, to some extent. Until he rapes her.

Trauma Conga Line: Agnes' is long and varied. Her father abused her whole family, her mother seems to take a certain pleasure in belittling her, she is threatened at knife point, and raped by the pimp. You WILL want to give her a hug when she is in the bathtub. Made especially difficult to watch by Jennifer Lawrence's stunning performance.

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